LIBERALISM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19809, 28 November 1919, Page 6

LIBERALISM.

ITS ASPIRATIONS AND | ACHIEVEMENTS. (No. 5.) CUSTOMS TARIFF. Far back in its history Now Zealand declared for Protection as its established fiscal policy, and it lia.s certainly had. no reason to regret that decision, 'file Liberal Party has been Protectionist because it has found by experience that Protection answers in practice to the• ono sufficient test, “the greatest good for the greatest possible number- ’ But twenty years ago a- considerable revenue was derived from the taxation of imported goods—mostly among the “necessaries of life”—such as we cannot produce for ourselves. These duties were levied “for revenue only’’ ; but it was ek-ar to Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues that (more especially because there was no local production of such commodities) they pressed with undue severity upon the poorer classes. Under such cimim.sta.ncos there was only one thing for a sincerely demoera lie- Liberal to do. and Sir Joseph Ward did ir. The revenue, was sacrificed, Ihc duties wore repealed one hy one; till in the end our breakfast table was free, much of our clothing and nearly all the necessaries .and many of the commoner luxuries of life wore free, and the people of New Zealand daily ami increasingly rca-p the benefit of the statesmanlike wisdom which postponed every other consideration, political and financial, to the necessity for securing and maintaining “the common good.” H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND. It is Into in the day to ask ourselves what we owe to the British Navy. But long before the Great War brought this truth home to us, our Liberal statesmen had appreciated I lie fundamental principle hy which we must stand or tall—the necessary unity and solidarity of the .Empire. Sio they began by paying a substantial subsidy year by year towards the upkeep of the British Navy. AY lien, twenty years ago, the great struggle in South Africa, broke, out, Air Scddon led tho way for the Dominions by dispatching our contingents to play their gallant part against tho Boers. It was in (his same spirit that Sir Joseph Ward presented tho battle-cruiser New Zealand to tho British Navy. This momentous step was taken with the full concurrence of the Liberal Party, But it is also important to remember that Sir Joseph took thi-s course in tho face of hitter opposition from the parties which in various ways represented different forms of that Conservatism which has always been, as it is to-day. Libera Usui’s inveterate foe.

PREFERENTIAT, TR ADR In another sphere of political action the Liberals have been able to display their enthusiastic loyalty to Britain, and their devotion to the Imperial cause. When the great movement in favour of imperial reciprocity was he- • gun, Now Zealand, under Liberal guidance, was one of the foremost of the Dominions to offer preferential terms to British trade in the colonial markets. ;Sir Joseph Ward has always re cognised both the commercial and the political value of a closer connection Intween Britain and her dependencies on the basis of a. community of material interest, and it is largely owing to his cflorts that New Zealand to-day gives substantial encouragement to Britain's trade by receiving all British imported goods into the markets on far better terms than those conceded to her foreign rivals. THE TRANSITION STAGE. Of the many other measures in which Sir Joseph Ward emphasised once, more the basic principles of Liberalism, and gave fresh proof of his own statesmanlike wisdom and political skill, it is impossible to speak at further length It is enough to say that Sir Joseph Ward throughout worthily sustained the splendid' traditions ot Liberalism, adding continually to his high reputation ior brilliant political thinking and gaining fresh laurels on a far wider stage among the great statesmen assembled at the various Imperial and International conferences at. which he represented Now Zealand, But in 1911 there came a change in the political fortunes of Liberalism. Although the Liberals had secured more votes than their rivals at the polls, yet the final returns gave Sir Joseph Ward so small a margin of .superiority that he refused to carry'on. Sir Thomas Mackenzie then took charge, and in the interval between the two sessions of that year, four members who had been elected under the Liberal Hag deserted to the enemy. 'Hie Mackenzie Ministry was thus short-lived. Mr Massey came into office with the first “Reform" administration. Again, in 101-I, after the war lid begun, the three parties—Liberal. Labour, Reform—-went, to the polls; and though just before the election the “Reformers” had a majority of eight, yet, in spite of Air Massey's- appeal to the electors to avoid the risk of “swapping horses while crossing the stream,” he failed to secure a majority. However, through the unfortunate mi.-tako of a returning officer in counting the rotes for one electorate, he was able to continue in power. THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. lint by this time, the war had grown formidable. Its duration was indefinite, ami its issue seemed doubtful. Tim freedom, .and well-being of every part, of the .Empire was clearly in great; jeopardy. The Liberal chief, for patriotic reason*, agreed to a. party Irnoe, and bent, all his energies to I lie work of facing tlu*. common enemy. While tho t.'oalition lasted, be was the bead of the Finance Department, and be closed his brilliant career there by leaving behind him in the Treasury an accumulated surplus of more than fifteen million pounds. At the earliest moment after the close of the war. Sir Joseph withdrew from the National Government, for which he considered there was no further necessity, as its one reason had been to help win the victory, and tlic agreement, specifically stated that the compact, was “for the duration of tho war.” A free man again, he at once appealed to tho people on behalf of the Libera) Party. He now faces tin* constituencies, with a, tine record of patriotic, service, added to a, great record of Liberalism, in the founding and developing of which he played so largo a part. <i